After two lawsuits, public debates and $97,500, Sahl Communications has left Northampton County's employ.

After surviving a legal challenge and bipartisan criticism that it was a waste of taxpayer money, Northampton County's contract a with public relations firm ended Wednesday with little fanfare.

Director of Administration Luis Campos confirmed the county's yearlong contract with Sahl Communications ended Wednesday. He and County Executive John Brown declined further comment on the topic.

Brown hired the Bethlehem firm in February 2014 after some of his first initiatives in office met with vocal opposition. He withdrew his nomination of Robert Sletvold, the husband of county Judge Jennifer Sletvold, for chief public defender after council raised concerns it would create an appearance of impropriety. Around the same time, council railed against a proposed $715,200 contract Brown wanted to Four-Score LLC, an Emmaus financial consultant.

After saying little publicly in his first month in office, Brown held his first news conference to fire back against the contract's detractors. Sahl Communications President Kim Plyler greeted reporters at the conference, and the county signed her firm to an $84,000 contract within a week.

Plyler said Wednesday her business created an internal communications structure within the county, including a crisis communication plan. It also organized brown bag lunches where Brown would interact with employees, wrote the county's internal newsletter, created social media and held town hall meetings where Brown visited different parts of the county to hear from residents. Plyler said handling media inquiries was the most time-consuming part of the job.

"We're very pleased to have had an opportunity to work with the county," she said.

The Sahl Communications contract brought renewed criticism from other elected officials, and Controller Stephen Barron sued Brown to end the contract. Brown conceded he did not put the contract up for bid, forcing him to end the deal. After going through the proper procedures, Brown hired Sahl a second time, this time to a $76,500 contract.

Barron, a Democrat, sued again, this time claiming Brown was breaking the deal into a piecemeal contract, an illegal maneuver in which a multi-year contract is broken into a series of one-year contracts to avoid oversight. Northampton County Judge Paula Roscioli discredited the argument, saying it didn't apply unless Brown tried to extend the contract a second year. Barron ultimately withdrew the second lawsuit.

"It was a terrible waste of $97,500 of taxpayer dollars. I'm glad it's over. Honestly, anyone who gets paid to say no comment is not worth anything," Barron said Wednesday, totaling the amount Sahl received over the two contracts.

Councilman Hayden Phillips, a Republican like Brown, opposed the contract, saying it was unnecessary use of taxpayer money. He hoped Brown would not do anything to legitimize Barron's concerns.

"I think if John renews that, we would have to look at it and see it as piecemeal. That's what I'll be watching for," he said.

Councilman Lamont McClure claimed in August that Brown was attempting to use the Sahl contract to further his own political agenda, not the county's.

To bolster his claims, he produced emails showing Plyler asked if Brown planned on attending a fundraiser for former Gov. Tom Corbett, and that she encouraged him to meet with Bethlehem business owners. Brown denied the allegations, calling McClure's claims hollow and absurd.

"That's a public good," McClure said when informed about the contract's end.